K12ELA007: English Language Arts 7

Unit 1: Telling a StoryIn this unit, you will read four different short stories and identify
the “parts of a story” in each in order to learn how they are relevant
to the stories’ content. You will answer guiding questions to increase
your reading comprehension and use details from the text to answer the
questions. You will also compare and contrast two different works by the
same author.

Unit 1 Time Advisory
Completing this unit should take approximately 28 hours and 15
minutes.

☐ Subunit 1.1: 30 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.2: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 1.3: 4 hours and 15 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.4: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 1.5: 5 hours and 15 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.5.1: 30 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.5.2: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 1.5.3: 2 hours and 30 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.5.4: 45 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.5.5: 30 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.6: 30 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.7: 3 hours and 45 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.8: 4 hours and 45 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.9: 5 hours and 45 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.9.1: 1 hour and 30 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.9.2: 2 hours

☐ Subunit 1.9.3: 45 minutes

☐ Subunit 1.9.4: 1 hour and 30 minutes

☐ Unit Review: 1 hour

☐ Unit Checkpoint: 30 minutes

Unit1 Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Identify parts of a story and how they are relevant to the story’s
progression and impact.
- Define unfamiliar vocabulary in texts.
- Use content details to support your analysis of a story.
- Identify the parts of a sentence and different sentence types.
- Describe the narrative writing structure and write personal
narratives.
- Compare and contrast elements of two different stories by the same
author.

1.1 What is Fiction?Some students balk at the prospect of reading fiction during English
class, while others devour it quickly. The reality is that there are
many good reasons to study fiction, which has interesting characters and
plots nurturing our imaginations and creating in us realistic emotions
to which we can relate. Fiction enables readers to better understand the
human condition and to become more observant of their surroundings.
Reading also increases literacy skills so that students become more
proficient readers and writers. By reading fiction, you will build your
vocabulary and become more open minded and worldly. Therefore, it is
important to study the purposes, types, and structures of fiction, which
are described in this subunit. After taking notes, you will be better
prepared to read and comprehend the variety of short fiction texts that
you will study during this subunit.

Instructions: Read the complete article on fiction and take notes
in the notebook you have set aside for this course. In your notes,
define fiction and the different types of fiction mentioned in the
article.

1.2 Parts of a StoryIn this subunit, you will become familiar with the “bones” of a story.
You will learn about the various types, or genres, of fiction as well as
types of characters and the general structure of plot development. After
taking notes, you will be able to identify the different “parts of a
story” in stories that you already know. This information will give you
a more sophisticated knowledge of how fiction works.
- Explanation: The Saylor Foundation’s “Parts of a Story”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Parts of a
Story”
(PDF)

Instructions: Carefully review this presentation and write
definitions for each part (genre, theme, characters and types, plot,
conflict, and interactions). In your notebook, answer all of the
questions in the presentation. Next, you need to choose a favorite
film or book and, in your notebook, identify the parts of the story:

1.3 Short Story: “Seventh Grade” by Gary SotoIn this subunit, you will read the short story “Seventh Grade,” by Gary
Soto. In addition to learning about Gary Soto’s life and what drew him
to writing fiction, you will complete activities before, during, and
after reading to enrich your comprehension of the story, as well as make
personal connections.

Instructions: Copy the vocabulary words and definitions from the
first page of this document onto flash cards using the site
Quizlet. After creating your flash
cards, you will need to create a free of charge Quizlet account.
Next, use the vocabulary flash cards to review the words and
definitions. Finally, complete all of the vocabulary exercises on
pages 2 - 6.

Completing this activity should take approximately 1 hour and 30
minutes.

Instructions: Answer the reading comprehension questions on pages
2 - 4 while you read the story “Seventh Grade” a second time. When
finished with the comprehension questions, complete the crossword
puzzle on page 1 and other questions on page 5.

Completing this activity should take approximately 1 hour and 30
minutes.

1.4 Grammar: Sentence StructureIn order to write effectively and professionally, you need to be able
to write using complete sentences. Fragments, run-ons, and other
structural issues in sentences make reading more difficult, unless they
are used for effects, as in poetry or story dialogue. To write complete
sentences, you must be familiar with basic sentence structure. In this
subunit, you will familiarize yourself with sentence types and complete
exercises to correct sentences to make them more effective.

Instructions: Read this review of sentence structure and types of
sentences. As you are reading, write down definitions for all of the
sentence types in your notebook, along with original examples that
you create (two for each definition). Complete all of the exercises
at the bottom of the webpage.

Reading this selection and completing this activity should take
approximately 1 hour.

1.5 Short Story: “All Summer in a Day” by Ray BradburyIn this subunit, you will be reading the short story, “All Summer in a
Day,” by Ray Bradbury. In addition to learning about Bradbury’s life and
what drew him to write science fiction, you will complete activities
before, during, and after reading to enrich your comprehension of the
story, as well as make personal connections. While science fiction is
very different from realistic fiction, characters often experience the
same emotions and conflicts as readers.

Instructions: Complete the “Checking Up,” “Talking It Over,” and
“Personal Connections” exercises, along with the matching questions
under “Understanding the Words in the Story.” Use complete sentences
for the “Talking It Over” and “Personal Connections” sections.

1.5.4 Parts of a Story
- Activity: Parts of a Story in “All Summer in a Day”
Instructions: Using Bradbury’s story, identify the different story
parts in your notebook: genre, theme, main characters (protagonist,
antagonist), plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action, resolution), conflicts, and interactions. You may need to
use your notes from the “Parts of a Story” presentation in Subunit
1.2.

1.5.5 Grammar Review
- Activity: Grammar Review with “All Summer in a Day”
Instructions: Using your printed copy of Bradbury’s story, find and
underline at least two examples of each of the following types of
sentences: simple, compound, complex, fragment, and run-on.

1.6 Narrative Writing StyleIn preparation for writing your own narrative, you will review the
basic structures and styles of narrative writing. Some of the short
stories that you will read in this course are in a narrative style, with
characters speaking from the first point of view. Narratives are
different from fiction in that the author is telling a true story but in
a more artistic way by adding in strong imagery that evokes the various
senses. Narratives comprise their own genre in literature.

1.7 Narrative Writing AssignmentDuring this subunit, you will be applying what you have learned about
narrative writing to write your own personal narrative. Your narrative
should be approximately 250 words, well organized, and enjoyable to
read. With narrative writing, it is appropriate to use “I” and less
formal language.

Instructions: Click on the third link to open “How Is Your Essay
Assessed.” You will use this rubric as you proofread your essay.

Read through your narrative and correct any obvious errors. Next,
read it aloud. If anything sounds off when you are reading aloud,
you should revise it. Check that your narrative aligns with each
category in the rubric and make revisions where necessary.

1.8 Short Story: “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan PoeIn this subunit, you will read the short story “The Black Cat,” by
Edgar Allen Poe. In addition to learning about Poe’s life and how his
own personal tragedies shaped his fiction, you will complete activities
before, during, and after reading to enrich your comprehension of the
story, as well as make personal connections. Poe is also known for being
the “master of suspense,” so you will spend some time analyzing how he
creates this within his stories.

Instructions: Read Edgar Allan Poe’s biography. Later, as you read
his two stories, think about how Poe’s real-life experiences helped
to shape his fiction.

Reading this biography should take approximately 30 minutes.

Standards Addressed (Common Core):

- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.4](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/7/4)
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpage above.

1.8.2 Vocabulary
- Activity: Vocabulary for “The Black Cat”
Instructions: Using a dictionary (can be online), find definitions
for the following vocabulary words from the story. Create an
original sentence for each word.

Instructions: Read this short story, leaving the window open so you
can reference it later.

Reading this short story should take approximately 30 minutes.

Standards Addressed (Common Core):

- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.1](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/1)
- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.2](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/2)
- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.3](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/3)
- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.4](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/4)
Terms of Use: This resource is in the public domain.

Activity: Identifying Suspense in “The Black Cat”
Instructions: Poe has been referred to as the “master of suspense”
for his ability to create a sense of anxiety in the reader and
narrator. Review “The Black Cat” and identify five examples where
Poe creates suspense, writing these down in your notebook. Some ways
that he does this are through techniques like foreshadowing and
vivid imagery.

1.9 Short Story: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan PoeIn this subunit, you will read the short story “The Tell-Tale Heart,” a
second story by Edgar Allen Poe. You will complete activities before,
during, and after reading to enrich your comprehension of the story, as
well as make personal connections. Poe is known for creating
“unreliable” narrators who are often insane or distressed, so you will
also analyze character motivation.

1.9.1 Vocabulary
- Activity: Vocabulary for “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Instructions: Using a dictionary (can be online), find definitions
for the following vocabulary words from the story. Create an
original sentence for each word.

Instructions: Read this short story, leaving the window open so you
can reference it later.

Reading this short story should take you approximately 30
minutes.

Standards Addressed (Common Core):

- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.1](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/1)
- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.2](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/2)
- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.3](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/3)
- [CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.4](http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/7/4)
Terms of Use: This resource is in the public domain.

1.9.3 Character MotivationMotivation is a powerful force, and what motivates characters to behave
in certain ways, like the narrator killing the old man in Poe’s story,
reveals a lot about those characters. Motivation can be extrinsic, where
external incentives like money and friends determine behavior.
Motivation can also be intrinsic, where internal forces such as love and
fear determine behavior. For example, a student might study hard to
receive an “A” on an exam, because high grades make him feel
accomplished and confident (internal). Another student might earn good
grades because she wants a boost in her allowance (external). Think
about what motivates you to behave in certain ways. Are you more
externally or internally motivated?

Activity: Motivation in “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Instructions: Using the short story, answer the following questions
in your notebook. Use complete sentences and make sure that each
response is accompanied by a quote from the story.

1. What is the narrator’s personality like?
2. How does the narrator behave throughout the story?
3. What motivates the narrator to commit murder?
4. What drives him to confess?

Instructions: The narrators in the two Edgar Allan Poe stories are
in uniquely different situations, yet they share quite a few
similarities. Your task is to compare and contrast the two
characters. To organize your ideas, use a Venn diagram. On this
webpage, scroll down to the section “Using Pages to Create a Venn
Diagram.” Complete a Venn diagram by following the provided
directions. Identify at least four differences and four
similarities.

Instructions: Once you have identified at least four differences
and four similarities between the narrators, complete this
four-paragraph graphic organizer linked above. This is good practice
for future essay writing.

Instructions: To complete Unit 1, you need to pass the unit
checkpoint. You can’t use your notes while taking this assessment.
When you’re done, check your answers
here.
In order to pass, you need to get 7 out of 10 possible points. If
you do not pass the first time, review your notes and retake the
test until you do.